Frantic
by GabbiCalabrese
Summary: Will smiled at her, her heart lightening. Before she even realized what she was doing, she ran into his arms and embraced him as if she would never let go. He returned her embrace just as tightly, resting his face in her hair the way that he always had.
1. Somebody to return to

Tessa Gray's heart was thumping wildly in her chest, the pulse in her ears building to a deafening crescendo. She knew it was irrational. William Herondale was a skilled and lethal fighter. Charging into battle without goodbyes, without second thoughts, was what he did. He and Jem had told Tessa as much before she knew much about the Shadowhunting world.

They were going to come back. Alive.

Still, Tessa could not slow her dwelling thoughts. They raced by her, as quickly as Will on horseback. Madam Barlow was known for being cunning and sly. It had been said that she could literally evaporate before one's eyes. Were the Shadowhunters really that skilled?

Tessa shook herself. Of course they were! She had seen them in action, seen Will, Jem, and Charlotte slice into their quarry without a moment's hesitation.

Sitting by herself in one of the several corridors of the London Institute, Tessa had never remembered feeling so hollow. Not when Nate had disowned her, not when Jessamine had been killed. Perhaps it was selfish of her to be so worried, but she could not dodge the feeling that something bad was going to happen. She and Will had been in the middle of a horrid argument when they had been interrupted by the call of duty. What if he didn't return? She would never feel his gentle caresses, nor would she ever be able to hear him say again that he loves her.

It was all too much for Tessa. She inhaled deeply, trying to gather herself, and, gently tugging on the tapestry hanging above her for an aid, she got to her feet and marched to her bedroom. Without knowing why, she slammed the door behind her. She went to her vanity, where the mahogany jewelry box that Will had given her sat, and searched for the object that she had long since stopped seeking comfort from. There were several beautiful pieces of jewelry; pearl earrings, golden necklaces, elaborate rings that Charlotte, Jem, and Will had all given to her jumped out at her as she sifted through. Finally, though, she pulled out what she was looking for.

Her little clockwork angel.

As she reached around her neck to clasp the old necklace, she heard her door slowly creak open. Tessa paused. She turned slowly and was swarmed with joy as she was greeted with an arrogant smirk and a wonderfully beautiful man with hair the color of midnight and eyes as blue as the ripping waves of an ocean.

Will smiled at her, her heart lightening. Before she even realized what she was doing, she ran into his arms and embraced him as if she would never let go. He returned her embrace just as tightly, resting his face in her hair the way that he always had.

"I thought…" she mumbled, barely able to contain the small cry of joy that escaped her lips. Will pushed her away gently and held her at arms length. "Must you have such little faith in my abilities?" he asked her, but the smile was still in place. "It was simple. Quick. It always is when I know that I have something—somebody—to return to."

"I love you," she breathed.

There were scarce words exchanged after that, as he pressed his lips to hers. The hollowness that had formed had vanished, as if it were never there. Tessa remembered a time when she had felt foreign at the London Institute, like an alien. She hadn't been able to accept her gift and the world it originated from.

Now, after two years passed, she could not picture herself anywhere else, in any other world. With any _usual_ people. The Institute, Jem, Charlotte, Henry. Will. They were her home.

**This is absolutely a one shot. I just had to write something about Will and Tessa because, and I'm not sure anybody can believe this, I love them more than Jace and Clary. Seeing as the setting of the Infernal Devices is in London and takes place in 1878, I know that I could never write a full story about them. But I had to write **_**something. **_

**Kind of iffy on the mid-Victorian era I tried to portray, but I still thought it was cute and fluffy **

**Review and tell me what you think, and you may just get more one shots of my favorite couple!**

**Oh, and a quick note, if you haven't noticed in the end I said that two years had passed. Therefore, there are some vague regards to thinks that had never happened in Clockwork Angel, and things that you were probably just like "Huh?" But no, this doesn't take place directly after that story, obviously. So, they are in love and there is nothing significantly wrong with their relationship!**


	2. Tell me you don't love me

It was impossibly difficult for Tessa to keep from staring. Had she imagined what had just happened? She would have believed so, were it not for Jem snatching the occasional glance at her as well. Tessa had always thought Jem was beautiful. He was gentle, delicate, nearly angelic, Tessa thought. Not like Will Herondale.

_Will._

As her mind spoke his name, her eyes flitted to where he sat at the dinner table. At first, his head was bowed, almost as if he were praying, though Tessa knew better, and he was mindlessly pushing his food around. But as Tessa's gaze landed on him, he looked up.

Tessa winced. His eyes were cold and hard, the usual deep blue had dried to stone. His customary arrogance had dried up as well, but it was only noticeable to Tessa, who had spent so long memorizing Will. The contours of his face, every scar, the way his cheek would twitch when he was trying not to laugh. She had believed she knew him so well, even if he had tried his hardest to remain closed off, but the way he was looking at her at that moment was foreign, like she was arriving at the London Institute fro the first time all over again.

What had caused such hostility, Tessa desperately wanted to know. Hadn't it only been hours before that they were joking? It hadn't even been a taunting sort of joking, or the back and forth banter that Will so deeply enjoyed. It had been only the two of them, and he had actually smiled. Tess knew she had not imagined that. A smile so lovely was impossible to dream up, even for someone who had read as many novels as Tessa. Then, Jem joined the two of them in her bedroom, Will excusing himself only minutes later.

Tessa still had not removed her eyes from Will, and he was still giving her the same cold stare down. She froze. Had he tried to come back when she and Jem were kissing? Had he seen them? Tessa was struck with a gut-sinking feeling to horrible to describe.

But what did it matter that he saw them? Tess had been at the institute for nearly a year, and even after so long she and Will had only shared two kisses, after both of which he distanced himself from her, pushed her away. Those were the moments that led Tessa to believe that Will was exactly the kind of guy that he claimed he was: he strung women along, charmed them into caring, and then never spoke to them again. Of course, there was usually another step in the process, one that Tessa forbade herself from dwelling on. Was that all he wanted from her, a woman to use for his filthy actions when he got bored of intoxicating himself half to death? At first, Tessa had convinced herself that it wasn't true, but eventually she had to admit the truth; Will simply did not care for her as more than a friend.

So then why was he looking at her so harshly? And why was Tessa intensely _hoping_ that it was out of envy? She could not think of Will that way! Not after the tender moments she had shared with Jem! She was a lady, not a dirty participant in a brothel. And how was it that nobody else at the dinner table even noticed their unusual exchange?

Abruptly, Tessa pushed the wooden chair out from under her and stood. Charlotte looked up curiously. Tess un-tucked the cloth linen from her shirt and set it on the table. "Excuse me," she said, almost timidly. "I need to be excused."

Charlotte nodded and Tessa strode swiftly to her bedroom. Only minutes later there was a knock on her door. It was foolish of her to think, even for a moment, that it was Will. He obviously was not pleased with her and would be the last one consoling her, especially when he was the one that had upset her. When she tentatively cracked open the door, she was greeted with Jem's silver features.

"Are you okay?" he asked immediately. Slowly, she nodded and opened the door wider for him.

"I am," she assured. "It's just that…do you think we made a mistake?"

He went still, his perpetually pale features whitened. "You mean because of my condition?"

"No! Of course not. I just think that it's inappropriate."

The little color that Jem had returned and he grinned knowingly, understandingly. "Ah. Because of Will."

"Are you mad?" she asked, skeptically. "William Herondale does not dictate my love life. I just meant that we _live_ together. Relations between us would not be proper. Besides," she added, "you are a Shadowhunter, I am a warlock! Just because I appear normal and don't use my gift that often does not make me anymore like you than Magnus Bane is."

Jem nodded. "Tessa—" he started, but he was never able to finish. He was interrupted by a furious pounding on Tessa's door. The two exchanged a look, an unspoken conversation between them, that expressed everything they were wondering or needed to say. After a very long moment, Jem nodded once more, granting Tessa permission to walk away from their discussion. They were both very aware who was behind the door, who was spitting out harsh curses and demanding to be let in. And they both knew, Tessa had a feeling, that the instant she let Will in, she would be walking away from Jem and any agreement they were about to reach.

Even with that in mind, she swung the door open. "My goodness, Will, I know that the term 'gentleman' is foreign to you, but it might do you good to learn a little patience." And just to gauge his reaction she added, "We were in the middle of something."

Will glowered down at him, an anger sparking that she had never witnessed from him. And, for once, he had no witty reply, no sarcastic quip to shoot back. That in itself left Tessa nearly speechless. Will turned towards Jem, and in a crisp and very terse manner said, "I need a moment with Tessa."

Without question, Jem obeyed and left, the door clicking softly behind him.

"You are being awfully rude."

Will scoffed. "Rude? You have no right throwing yourself at Jem like that, like some desperate mistress."

She chose to ignore the last part. "Don't I?"

"No."

Was that jealousy she detected? She hated to even think it. She was getting ahead of herself, building her hopes uselessly up. But what else could cause him to act so harshly? He had a tendency to be rude to others, but this has reached a new level. He was being outright spiteful.

"And why?" Tessa asked finally, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. _Because, Tessa. You belong with me. You're the girl I've always dreamed of. _Foolishly, she wished he would say something like that. He didn't.

"I know you, you're generally strong, but you have a problem. You love, far too much if you ask me, and you'd sacrifice everything for somebody you love, or even mildly care about. Jem…he is not strong. Sometimes, yes, but without his medicine he is frail and he is weak. Eventually, he will crumble, and if you sit beside him the whole time and watch, you will crumble along with him."

It was nowhere near what she had been hoping for, but Tessa felt a twinge in her stomach. "That's not the truth," she blurted, taking even herself by surprise. The stern expression Will had been holding faltered, his eyes narrowed slightly. Tessa continued. "As much as you refuse to admit it, you care about Jem. If you believed that he and I could form a relationship that led us to…the end, then you would encourage it. You want Jem to be happy. Unless, of course, you want to be happy yourself."

"That sounded like a long-winded way of calling me selfish. What in the world are you getting at?"

Tessa herself was unsure, but it was as if she had lost control over her mind. It was sort of like she shifted into another person's body, like they were controlling the words. She could feel herself speaking, nearly see the words in her mind, but they did not form from her thoughts. But they did. "You love me."

A second too late, Will chuckled deeply. "Wishful thinking," he told her. "It seems that all of those novels have clouded your perception. No wonder it is improper for women to be spending their time reading; it fills their head with so many absurd ideas."

She refused to budge. After the words had slipped from her tongue, Tessa felt the truth behind them. Somewhere deep inside of her core, she knew that she was not imagining things. Will lightened up around her, showed a tad bit of vulnerability that he would reveal to nobody else. Will loved her.

Never having been the one to take control in this kind of situation—not that she had been in one many times—Tessa felt shaky as she stepped closer to Will. One step and then another and soon she was only a short distance from him. He towered over her, but Tessa wasn't intimidated. Not when she rested a hand on his hard chest, or when she brought her face ever nearer to his.

Their lips brushed gently first, but that was not enough for Tessa. She remembered the first time they had kissed, the way she felt like she could never be close enough, the heat that had enveloped her whole body. She craved that once more. Their lips pressed harder against one another's, and soon it was fierce in a delicious fight for dominance. Maybe she was making a mistake, maybe Will really only wanted her as a play toy, but as his hands wound around her waist, pulling her closer still, logic slipped from her mind.

A sense of security wrapped around her, like that exact moment was where she had always needed to be. Like she and Will had created a world in which only they existed. When he was finally able to separate their mouths, Tessa noticed his eyes glittering again. But they were flooded with desire, with what she was positive was love.

"Now," she breathed, hardly capable of words. "Tell me you don't love me."

"I can't," he replied before their lips were once again connected, moving in a synchronized passion.

**So, I decided I'm just going to make a collection of ID one-shots. Most likely, they will all be Will and Tessa, but a few may be with Jem. I like the whole one-shot thing because I already have so many stories, and these don't require much of a commitment. Plus, they also involve a lot less thought and planning. **

**I hope you like! Review and tell me what you think! I really like the fluffy factor in these, because a lot of my other stories build up to fluff, but I don't get to write an excessive amount. **

**So, once again, tell me what you think. **


	3. How very convienant

Who was Jem Carstairs? He didn't even know. Sometimes he wondered if there was something wrong with him, besides the obvious. Many times he found himself staring at his reflection and _knowing___he was different; certainly not from London, but was he foreign? He _almost_ looked it.

Then there was his condition. He was a Shadowhunter; a warrior! Combat was all he really knew. But many of the others looked at him differently, like he was infectious, like he was an addict on his own terms. He detested the feeling that washed over him when people like Gabriel Lightwood looked at him with an expression of pity, of gloating.

There was one person, though, who looked at Jem like he was simply Jem. He was not sick, he was not strange. Tessa was not constantly treading water around him. Sometimes it felt like she just understood him, understood what he felt. And in a way, Jem thought, she probably did. Tessa had her own condition. With her shifting abilities, she was looked upon strangely as well. It was said that she was a warlock, but nobody knew for sure.

That was why, as Jem held Tessa in the circle of his arms, he felt whole. Jem knew that it did not matter what he was when he was with Tessa, only who.

As she stared up at him with her big brown **(A/N: I am not sure of her actual eye color) **eyes and her lips quirked up into a playful smile, Jem bent his head down and brought their lips together in a tender kiss.

It had been nearly two years since Will had disappeared—a year since they had decided to stop searching for him, he obviously did not want to be found—and it had taken both Jem and Tessa some time to get over his departure. They had moved on, though, and eventually sought comfort in each other. Jem hated to admit it, even to himself, but Will's leaving had caused something so wonderful to happen. They both still missed Will, that was evident, but Tessa was no longer in love with him.

Why Will decided to leave in the middle of the night, nobody really knew. Jem had theories, but was it really possible to get inside of Will's mind?

When Tessa separated their mouths, she cupped Jem's cheek and gently stroked his lips with her thumb. "I love you," she told him with a small smile. It wasn't the first time he had heard those words, but they always pounded into him like they were. Jem loved Tessa, more than he had ever loved anybody, and he knew he would never tire of hearing the words repeated.

Jem removed Tessa's hand from his face and intertwined their fingers together. "You have that look on your face."

"Look?" She raised her eyebrows.

"You know," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "That dreamy look you get when you are thinking about…things."

Tessa grinned. "You've come to know me too well. I was just thinking how convenient it is that Charlotte and Henry have left to go to a Clave meeting, and it is only the two of us in the Institute."

Now Jem grinned. "Yes, how very convenient."

Tessa had grown much bolder since she first arrived at the Institute. Jem suspected that Will had something to do with that, or she learned that being a lady did not necessarily mean that she had to be proper and perfect. She was very flirty, and Jem often found himself pressed very closely to her. They had not done much more than kissing, secretly Jem suspected that Tessa was not ready for anything like that, but she had been hinting that she would like to go further.

Now, Jem squeezed her hand and pulled her closer so that there was hardly any distance at all between the two of them. He could hear Tessa's breath catch, feel her heartbeat roar in her chest. A smirk danced on his lips.

Jem was glad that he had decided to take his medicine only five minutes before Tessa had shown up in his chamber; the last thing he needed was to erupt into a fit of coughing. Especially then, as their eyes met and locked, holding each other's gaze for several heavy seconds. Jem could see it. Tessa wanted him and he wanted her right back. He had wanted her since the day she arrived.

But he was not going to make the move. To Jem, that was almost like taking advantage of her. He was going to let her decide if she was really ready.

Apparently, she was. Tessa's fist balled in Jem's shirt as she released a childish giggle. With a fervent heat sparking in Tessa's eyes, she brought her lips heatedly to his and kissed him longingly. He didn't pull away, didn't hesitate. Jem wound his fingers in her hair and kissed her back just as passionately.

"Now," she breathed as they broke apart for air.

Jem pulled Tessa to him once more and together they tumbled onto the bed.

**Not that great. Really. But I felt that Jem deserved a chance to do his thing. And I know that Jem is a gentleman and it's in olden times when they didn't go BOOM BOOM before they were married, but I felt that they had been together for a while (according to the story) and it was bound to happen. You know? **

**But, I hope you like it. Review and tell me what you think? If you want, you can give me ideas for more one-shots! I'd credit you if you did. **

**Oh, and I would like to thank those that already have favorited and added to alerts and reviewed! You guys are awesome! **


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